Wildlife conservation

Wildlife: The term wildlife refers to any organism in its natural habitat.

Conservation: The term conservation deals with the practices of managing nature and natural resources for the present and future generations.

Importance of wildlife conservation

• Ecological balance: Each species plays an important role in balancing the population, maintaining the food chain and natural cycle on the earth
• Medicinal value: Various flora and fauna are important for medicinal purposes. Eg. Yarsa gumba, Panchaule etc
• Scientific value: Wildlife provides valuable information to naturalists and biologists in understanding the environment.
• Survival value: Species surviving today represent years of evolution and constitute a heritage of the past. A loss of any species is a loss of forever.
• Economic value: Many animals products like horns, skin etc are the good source of income for the nation.
• Genetic value: Scientist are trying to develop varieties resistant to diseases and stress ( cold, drought) using wild species.

Categories of wildlife status

• Extinct: Any species which is not definitely reported in the last 50 years is termed as extinct. Eg. Pink headed duck. 
• Critically Endangered (CR): Species facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. Example: Sumatran Tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae)
• Endangered (EN): Species facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild. Example: Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus)
• Vulnerable (VU): Species facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. Example: Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia)
• Near Threatened (NT): Species close to qualifying for a threatened category. Example: African Lion (Panthera leo)
• Least Concern (LC): Species that are widespread and abundant. Example: European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Causes of Extinction of Wildlife 

• Habitat Destruction and Fragmentation
• Climate Change
• Pollution 
• Overexploitation
• Invasive species
• Diseases
• Population fragmentation
• Competition 
• Human-wildlife conflict

Conservation strategy

• Habitat protection and restoration 
• Sustainable resource management
• Invasive species management
• Protected species management
• Education and awareness
• Community engagement and empowerment

National Park

1. Royal Chitwan National Park

• Area: 932 sq. km
• Altitude: 150-815 m
• Establish: 1973 AD.
• Location: It is situated in the inner terai of the Chitwan district
• Feature: The park is dominated by about 70% of the sal forest. The remaining vegetation includes pine, riverine forest and grassland. An endangered one-horn rhino is found. There are about 45 species of mammals over 450 species of birds, about 100 species of reptiles and fishes. Other notable animals include tiger, elephant, leopard, sloth bear, etc. 

       2. Sagarmatha National Park 

• Area: 1148 sq. km
• Altitude: 2845-8848 m
• Establish: 1976
• Location: Eastern himalayan region in Solukhumbu district 
• Feature: Vegetation includes pine forest at lower altitudes. The higher altitudes contain fir, juniper, and rhododendron. There are about 70 species of mammals and 118 species of birds. Thar, ghoral, musk deer, yak and snow leopard are the common mammals.

      3. Royal Bardia Nation Park 

• Area: 968 sq. km
• Altitude: 152-1441 m
• Establish: 1988
• Location: Terai of midwestern region in Bardia district. 
• Features: Sal forest, sal-pine forest, khair, sisoo forest, riverine forest and grassland are the main vegetation. 32 species of mammals and over 250 species of birds. Wild elephant, tiger, swamp deer, black buck ghoral, crocodile etc.

      4. Langtang National Park

• Area: 1710 sq.km
• Altitude: 792-7245m 
• Establish: 1976
• Location: Central Himalayn in Rasuwa district
• Features: Vegetation includes sal forest, oak, bluepine, fir, rhododendron park and hemlock, fir. It includes 30  mammals and 160 birds. Musk deer, himalayan black bear, himalayan thar, ghoral, red panda etc. 

     5. Rara National Park

•  Area: 106 sq. km
• Altitude: 1800-4048m
• Establish: 1976
• Location: Western Himalayan in Mugu district with a small area in Jumla district
• Features: The vegetation zone is characterized by blue pine, rhododendron, fir, and alpine meadows. The main attraction is Rara taal. Musk deer, black bear, Himalayan that, ghoral, red panda are the important wildlife of this park. 

   6. Shey-phoksundo National Park 

• Area: 3555 sq. km
• Altitude: 200-6885m
• Establish: 1984 
• Location: Mountain region of western Nepal covering parts of Dolpa and Mugu district. 
• Features: Vegetation includes oak, blue pine, fir, alpine meadows. About 14 mammals and several birds species. Snow leopard, blue sheep, musk deer, himalayan that, himalayan ghoral etc. 

    7. Khaptad National Park

• Area: 225 sq.km
• Altitude: 1000-3276 m
• Establish: 1984
• Location: Mid mountain region of far western region at the cross point of Bajhang, Bajhura, Doti, Achham district.
• Features: Sal pine, mixed broad-leaved forest, oak, conifer, rhododendron. About 11 genera of mammals and 18 genera of birds are common. Musk deer, spotted leopard, Asiatic black bear, wild boar, golden jackal. 

    8. Makalu-barun National Park

• Area: 1500 sq. km
• Altitude: 435-8463m 
• Establish: 1991
• Location: Eastern Himalayan region in Sankhuwasabha and Solukhumbu district. 
• Features: Vegetation includes sal, pine, oak, rhododendron, fir, juniper. 11 species of mammals and over 400 species of birds are common. Musk deer, red panda, snow leopard, Himalayan ghoral

   9. Shivapuri National Park

• Area:144 sq.km
• Altitude: 1366-2732m
• Establish: 2002
• Location: It is spread in Kathmandu and Nuwakot districts of Central region.
• Features: Vegetation includes pine, oak, Rhododendron. 5 mammal species and wild variety of birds are common. Sloth bear, Leopard, ghoiral, wild boar, barking deer and common langur etc. 

   10. Royal Shukla National Park

• Area:305 sq.km
• Altitude: 174-1554m
• Establish: 1976
• Location: Located in the far-western region of Nepal, in Kanchanpur district.
• Features: Vegetation includes sal, khair, sisoo, simal, grassland etc. 10 mammal species and 350 species of birds are common. Tiger, Leopard, swamp deer, wild elephant etc.

   11. Parsa National Park

• Area:499 sq.km
• Altitude: 150- 815 m
• Establish: 1984
• Location: Located in the Central terai, It occupies part of chitwan, Makwanpur, Parsa and Bara district.
• Features: Vegetation includes sal, pine, khair, sisoo, mixed deciduous riverine etc. 17 mammal species and 300 species of birds are common. Tiger, Leopard, sloth bear, blue bull,  wild elephant etc.

  12. Banke National Park

• Area:550 sq.km
• Altitude: 150 – 450 m
• Establish: 2010
• Location: Situated in the mid-western region of Nepal, Banke National Park spans parts of Banke and Salyan districts.
• Features: Vegetation includes sal, khair, sisoo, mixed deciduous riverine etc.  Bengal tigers, Asian elephants, one-horned rhinoceroses, swamp deer, hog deer, wild boar etc. 

Wildlife Reserve

1. Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve

• Area: 175 sq.km
• Altitude: 75-81 m
• Establish: 1976
• Location: Situated in the flood plains of the sapta koshi river in Saptari and Sunsari districts.
• Features: Vegetation includes sal, khair, sisoo, mixed deciduous riverine etc. 5 mammals and 280 species of birds. Bengal tigers, Asian elephants, one-horned rhinoceroses, swamp deer, hog deer, wild boar etc. 

Conservation Areas

1. Annapurna Conservation Area 

• Area:7629 sq.km
• Altitude: 1000-8092 m
• Establish: 1992
• Location: It is spread in the Kaski, Lamjung, Mustang, Manang and Myagdi districts.
• Features: Vegetation includes sal, Juniper, sisoo, oak, Rhododendron etc.  Snow leopard, blue sheep, Asiatic black bear, red panda, barking deer etc. 

    2. Kanchanjanga Conservation Area

• Area:2035 sq.km
• Altitude: 1200 – 8598 m
• Establish: 1997
• Location: It is situated in the northeastern part of Nepal in the Taplejung district.
• Features: Vegetation includes Rhododendron, Juniper, pine, oak, fir etc. Snow leopard, musk deer, red panda, blue sheep etc. 

    3. Manaslu Conservation Area

• Area:1663 sq.km
• Altitude: 1400 – 8000 m
• Establish: 1998
• Location: It lies in the northern part of the Gorkha district.
• Features: Vegetation includes Rhodendron, Juniper, pine, oak, fir etc. Snow leopard, musk deer, red panda, blue sheep etc.

Hunting Reserve

   1. Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve

• Area:1325sq.km
• Altitude: 2850 – 7000 m
• Establish: 1983
• Location: Situated in the Dhaulagiri Himal range of western Nepal, the reserve spans parts of the Baglung, Myagdi, and Rukum districts.
• Features: Vegetation includes Rhododendron, Juniper, pine, oak, fir etc. Snow leopard, musk deer, red panda, blue sheep etc.